"Serve whoever walks in the door": Shark Tank mentor Robert Herjavec reveals six rules that will change your business

Shark Tank's Robert Herjavec shared a post via Instagram on February 14, 2025, stating, "Rules of Waitering: That applies to Business." In the social media post, the tech entrepreneur shared six rules that can change your business.

While stating the rules in a carousel post, the summarized version states:

• 1. You don't get to choose your customers
• 2. The customer isn't always right
• 3. Own the problem
• 4. Rudeness never wins
• 5. Stay calm under pressure
• 6. People want someone who can solve their problem

Shark Tank's judge captioned the post with a detailed description of each of these rules, one of which stated:

"In restaurants, you serve whoever walks in the door, whether they tip well or not. In business, you’ll work with all kinds of clients—some easy, some difficult. Learning to adapt is key."

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Shark Tank's Robert Herjavec shares 6 rules to "change your business"

In a recently shared post via Instagram, Shark Tank mentor Robert opened up about six rules, according to him, hold the potential to change your business. Young entrepreneurs who follow him must know how the Shark has been sharing essential tips, motivation, and stories of struggle to succeed.

Here are the rules that Robert Herjavec shared via his Instagram:

"1. You Don’t Get to Choose Your Customers – In restaurants, you serve whoever walks in the door, whether they tip well or not. In business, you’ll work with all kinds of clients—some easy, some difficult. Learning to adapt is key."

Referring to restaurants as an example, Shark mentioned that you don't get to choose who will come and enjoy the meals. Similarly, one can't know if the customer would be giving a tip. In business, there would be various kinds of clients, hence learning to "adapt" is the key.

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"2. The Customer Isn’t Always Right—But They Should Feel Good – A bad experience can be turned around with a sincere apology or a small gesture, just like in business. It’s not about being right; it’s about making customers feel valued."

The second rule was slightly different from the traditional quite: "The Customer is always right." According to Shark Tank's Robert Herjavec, the customer "isn't" always right. However, they should "feel good."

Hence, if there have been any bad incidents or incidents, turning that in the opposite direction with a small gesture, such as an apology, would go a long way. He mentioned that customers should feel "valued."

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"3. Own the Problem, Even If It’s Not Your Fault – As a waiter, if the kitchen messed up, it was still my job to fix it. In business, leaders take responsibility and find solutions instead of passing blame."

The third rule from Robert Herjavec stated that individuals should "own the problem" whether that was their fault or not. He mentioned that being a waiter in a kitchen, it is the waiter's job to ensure that it is not messed up, no matter who did it.

Similarly, he mentioned leaders should take "responsibility" and work towards finding the solution.

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"4. Rudeness Never Wins – Some diners were rude, but responding with patience and professionalism always led to better outcomes. In business, keeping your cool can turn difficult clients into loyal ones."

Shark Tank's mentor, with his fourth rule, stated that being polite was the key. As he mentioned, "rudeness" never wins, so maintaining professionalism is of the essence. Keeping your cool is key to turning "difficult" clients into "loyal" ones.

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"5. Stay Calm Under Pressure – No matter how hectic the restaurant got, I had to look in control. In business, confidence—even when things are chaotic—builds trust and reassures customers and teams."

The fifth rule was about staying calm under pressure, which most entrepreneurs must have heard now and then. However, the Shark Tank mentor explained how important it is to take control despite the hardships and chaos entrepreneurs might face.

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"6. People Want Someone Who Can Solve Their Problem – Most restaurant complaints never went to the manager—they were handled by the waiter. In business, customers prefer dealing with someone who can fix their issue on the spot."

The sixth rule to change your business states that everyone looks forward to "leaders" who lead across difficult situations. Robert talked about how complaints in a restaurant don't go through the manager but rather are handled by the waiters.

Similarly, customers look forward to individuals who can help them find the solution and solve the problem.

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To get more tips about business and entrepreneurship, fans can follow Shark Tank mentor Robert Herjavec via his Instagram account (@robertherjavec).